Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-03-23
4 Rride.s Terrible End.

death OF the beautiful young wife of c. A..
Eastman last Sunday morning. Two months
ago Emily May Pritchard, one of the lead
ing bellies Of society, and Mr., c. A. Eastman,
s. prosperousy young business man, were we'd
ded, and the event was one of the most bril-
/ liant of the season. TIE happy bridegroom,
/ who is the MANAGER Of the Walnut Hills
! Coai Company, fitted up a house, Gnd the
couple started on the voyage OF life. The
bride vino was one of the most beautiful OF
her sex, had been reared in the lap of
luxury, and after her marriage she was the
envy of her former companions. Every
thing that woman could wish for had
been provided by her loving husband. On
Thursday last the young wife was attacked
| by u sickness to which she was subject. She
continued to grow worse, and as she had
done on former occasions, she took chloro-
form 10 alleviate her sufferings. The youDg
husband never lelt her bedside, and Satur
day he suggested that physician be sum-
moned. His wife objected and continued 10
partake of the deadly drug Late Saturday
night the sufferer Was almost craZed with
pain. She wanted 10 take more choroform,
but the husband, fearful of the result, ad-
H..
scene eusued About midnight Eastman fell
into . doze, and was suddenly aroused by n
noise in the room. He jumped up and, saw
his wife standing by the dresser with the
bottle of chIoroform to her lips. He sprang
up. and in his endeavor to gain possession Of
the bottle, quite struggle ensued. The
woman seemed 20 be gifted with the strength
OF tigress, aud before the frightened hus
band could get possession CT the bottle, he
was forced TO throw her 10 the floor and ex-
ert all his strength before Eo got the vial
from her \ hasty examination showed
that the woman had swallowed yearly all
of the fatal drug, ard the vial was nearly
emptied She was placed iii bed and SER
want dispatched for DR. u. Freeman. Before
he arrived the spark of life had fled, aud
the bride o; two short months wae corpse
! The grief OF the hereayed husband was
something fearful. He threw himself upon
the corpse and gave vent to his feelings 10
manner that brought tears to the eyes CT
those present. Kind-hearted neghbors
were summoned and everything possible
doue 10 tighten the heavy load that sudden
ly came like thunderbolt upon the young
man. Monday morning UndertaEer Epply
vas summoned and laid out the corpse. He
provided an elegant casket, and received
orders that the body was 10 De shipped
INN mediatey to Circleville, Indiana He
was given the death certificate, and he
presented il to the health officer
for his permit. The officer in charge
scanned the document closely and found
that the cause Of death was from an "over-
dose of choroform" The permit was re-
tused, and the matter referred to Coroner
Rendigs for investigation. This was the
first intimatior Dr. Rendigs had Of the case,
and he proceeded at once to the house of
the dead He found that the remains had
bsen boxed up preparatory for shipment,
and he ordered the work undone. Another
thing that the official noticed was that no
Grape had been hung out to announce the
death, as is usual. When the lid of the
casket was removed the face of beautiful
young lady was revealed. Masses ofgolden
hair swept back from her forehead and com.
pleted picture that would have set an ar"
tist wild The corpse bore more the ap'
pearance of lovely girl in repose than one
upon whom the cold hand of death had been
laid On the right cheek there was slight
discoloration, and the right arm showed
plainly the marks Of Il hand. This, it was
explained, was sustained in the struggle for
the possession ofthe vial ofchloroform. The
heart broken husband explained that he
acted as he did solely to prevent publicity,
and he asked as a special favor that the
case be kept from the newspapers. Coroner
Rendigs promised, and had it not been for
the expose at The Office of the Board of
HEATH it would, in all probability, have
been kept quiet.